


built for fighting

by queenstalgems (13pens)



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Gen, Non-Graphic Violence, Unconventional Format
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-05
Updated: 2015-08-05
Packaged: 2018-04-13 01:50:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4503177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/13pens/pseuds/queenstalgems
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I’ve really taken her for granted.”</p><p>Garnet looks down, removes her visor to reveal three weary eyes. “We both have.”</p><p>(A feeling rolls in Pearl’s chest and stomach and she knows what it is, she’s felt it so strongly before, with Rose. But that, too, may also be too late.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	built for fighting

**Author's Note:**

> this is a cleaned up version of a fic (loosely termed) i posted on my tumblr, here: http://queerstalgems.tumblr.com/post/125789790620/i-was-thinking-about-the-homeworld-takes-amethyst
> 
> going off of a plot idea where Homeworld tries to reclaim Amethyst in order to weaken the Crystal Gems.

It started with:

  * a twist of words and warps
  * "don't let them take me"
  * and "i won't"



It ended with:

  * silence
  * skinned knees
  * pearl's empty arms



 

* * *

 

 

Two weeks later, a pod falls out of the sky.

 

They go out to the beach and find Amethyst on the sand, trying to get up, and Pearl and Steven are ready to run for her but Garnet holds them back. “Wait,” she says, an outcome of Ruby's swirl of a "no" and Sapphire's rhythm of "please." Amethyst rises on her feet, pod incinerated on landing, and she’s wearing Homeworld uniform, a solitary yellow diamond just below her glowing gem.

 

They don’t know what exactly homeworld did to Amethyst, but the plan is clear. The intention is clear.

 

  * “Check it out.” 



 

And then she attacks. It’s all amethyst on the offense and the three of them on the defense because no, no no no _no_. Pearl and Garnet suddenly recall the gem war and how many kindergarten amethysts they fought and shattered themselves. The sound of the memory in Pearl’s ears is deafening. The sound of amethysts cracking. The sound of _A_ _methyst_  ––

 

  * “We don’t want to fight you!”



 

Pearl cries and Amethyst gives an unmerciful laugh.

 

  * “I wouldn’t want to fight me _neither_!”



 

Everything Amethyst ever was seems to be tenfold while at the same time annihilated –– the shapeshifting capacity is stronger than ever, changing into forms that is close to rivaling Sardonyx’s size when Pearl and Garnet fuse –– shaking, crying, _this is not just an amethyst_  –– but the compassion is gone, the playfulness is gone. Her whip is heavier, sharper, but the thorns that were an homage to Rose Quartz are absent, as if they were never a part of Amethyst and why she had fought for Earth in first place.

 

Sardonyx comes undone too, too easily. Amethyst is no longer laughing as she strikes at them. This Amethyst is her anger tenfold. This Amethyst is the outcome of words and words and words.

 

(A furious crack of a whip: “You said you wouldn’t let them take me! And then you did! You _let_  them!”

A miserable dull clang on a spear: “ _A_ _methyst_ ––”)

 

But even then ––

 

A shield, spear, and gauntlets on stretched arms later, Amethyst’s solitary gem flies in the air and lands on the sand in Pearl's hands. They’re all on the floor, beaten, weary. They’re so tired, they’re _so tired_  and then:

 

  * “You need to bubble her, Pearl.”



 

(Poofing her isn't enough, it already hurt, and it hurts still, and it's wrong wrong wrong –– Pearl hurts in places more than on her face and legs and arms, and Garnet has tears leaking down beneath her cracked visor.)

 

  * "Garnet! She’s not just a monster we fought and defeated! This is Amethyst! This is _our Amethyst_!”
  * “I know, Pearl. That's  _exactly why_. I  _know_."



 

Pearl takes the gem, encases it, and sobs.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The three of them sit in Amethyst’s room, close together, looking for comfort that is still lacking just one more body. Steven holds Amethyst’s bubbled gem. It’s murkier, without that characteristic brilliant, violet sheen. It hasn’t been corrupted, but just as well –– they don’t know what has happened, and they don’t know how to reverse it. The future as Garnet sees it is still too –– it's just as murky, just as dull and ––

 

Steven says they should just wait and try again later, that they can’t give up on Amethyst. Steven wants to let her reform and maybe if they just talk to her, everything will be okay. They know, they believe it, even if it just wishful, but the possibility of never still looms. The possibility of their Amethyst being gone is ––

 

It’s something, Garnet and Pearl try to think. It’s a whole gem, not shards. They did something right. But the feeling of loss may well be interminable. 

 

Pearl talks about the war. Words come out of her mouth tentatively and softly with an undercurrent of something sadder, something so absent from her previous conversations with Steven on the topic. Usually it’s with zeal, pride, and glory. We won, and that’s what you should focus on.

 

Today is an ode of a different kind. Today, the focus is: how an entire army was reduced to two and a fusion, to the last gems on earth. And then: when love was losing the fight against grief, they found Amethyst. And perhaps it may have been Rose that taught Pearl how to stand, how to fight, it was Amethyst that was the catalyst: Amethyst had taught Pearl how to  _laugh_.

 

That day when they found Amethyst, they also found a miracle.

 

(A  _miracle, a miracle_  –– the word feels right in Pearl’s mouth. It fits better than _mistake_ , even a good mistake, and she’s found the word too late, it seems.)

 

  * “I’ve really taken her for granted.”
  * Garnet looks down, removes her visor to reveal three weary eyes. “We both have.”



 

(A feeling rolls in Pearl’s chest and stomach and she knows what it is, she’s felt it so strongly before, with Rose. But that, too, may also be too late.)

 

*

 

Steven takes Amethyst with him wherever he goes. “We miss you, Amethyst,” he says often. “We really love you. I hope you’ll be ready to come back soon.”

 

*

 

Weeks pass and suddenly, even within the bubble, the gem gets  _brighter_.

 

“Peeeearl,” Steven runs to the temple, bubble floating carefully in his hands. Everything in his small body is a big crescendo. “GAARNEEEEEEET.”

 

*

 

They watch the light take shape from the glowing gem, shifting as it passes through old forms until the light dims and there’s ––

 

There’s Amethyst, their Amethyst. Amethyst with wild hair and stars on her knees and that look in the one eye she bothers to reveal. They all stare. Not knowing if, if maybe it’s a trick or –– 

 

  * “Hahahaha! Wow, you guys look terrible! Miss me much?”



 

It's Steven who launches himself first, the happiest he’s ever looked or sounded in what feels like so long, wrapping his short limbs around her and not letting go. They laugh loudly together, a sound they've all _missed_  and when pearl finally stops shaking enough to run and hug her, when the three of them find themselves encased in Garnet’s long arms, when Garnet herself is beaming and crying and laughing, everything’s okay. They shake and they breathe.

 

Everything’s okay.


End file.
